FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Indiana Horse Racing Commission Megan Arszman 1302 N. Meridian St. Indianapolis, IN 46202 317-232-2897 x22897 [email protected] http://www.in.gov/hrc/sb.htm Three Years, Three Indiana-Sired Horses Win Horse of the Year For the third year in a row, an Indiana-sired Standardbred has been named Horse of the Year by the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA). During the USHWA Dan Patch Awards, held at the Rosen Shingle Creek resort in Orlando, Fla., over the weekend, super trotting mare Hannelore Hanover capped a storybook racing season with being named Aged Trotting Mare, Trotting Horse and Horse of the Year. This on the heels of winning Canada’s O’Brien Awards as Older Trotting Mare and Horse of the Year earlier in February. “Every time she went to the gate this year, she had her flubs and she had her this and that, but she did things that you just don’t see many mares do,” says co-owner Mickey Burke Jr. “She beat some really nice male trotters and won some really big races. She came out of the year just as strong as she started it. She’s just an amazing mare, and you don’t get many of these.” Hannelore Hanover was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms. She is a daughter of Swan For All, who stands at Victory Hill Farm in Northeastern Indiana, and out of High Sobriety. In 2017, the mare won 10 out of 17 races, earning $1.04 million. On top of winning the Breeders Crown Open Trot over the mares, she trotted the fastest mile ever by a female during the Allerage Farms Open Trot, finishing in 1:49.2. “Since 1954, I’ve been walking around picking up papers, trying to find something,” says co-owner Mickey Burke Sr. during his acceptance speech. “I finally found it—the winner for the fastest trotting mare that ever lived. I’m so proud of her.” The Indiana Standardbred Breed Development Program (ISBDP) produced the Dan Patch Horse of the Year for 2016 (Always B Miki) and 2015 (Wiggle It Jiggleit), setting the standard for other harness racing development programs. “Certainly Indiana’s showing at the 2017 Breeders Crown, where three Indiana-sired horses won their races, has shown our breeders can produce topnotch trotters and pacers, but having three Horses of the Year be sired by Indiana stallions takes us to another level,” says Jessica Barnes, Director of Racing and Breed Development for the Indiana Horse Racing Commission. Hannelore Hanover is owned by the Burke Racing Stable, J&T Silva Stables, Frank Baldchino and the partnership of Mark Weaver and Mike Bruscemi. Her trainer is co-owner Ron Burke and her regular driver is Yannick Gingras. She will be bred to world champion trotter Southwind Frank this year, and the embryo will be transferred to a recipient mare so Hannelore Hanover can return to the track for her 6- year-old season. <Photos available upon request> -30- ABOUT THE INDIANA HORSE RACING COMMISSION The Indiana Horse Racing Commission ensures that pari-mutuel wagering on horse races in Indiana will be conducted with the highest of standards and the greatest level of integrity. For more information, see the Indiana Horse Racing Commission’s website: http://www.in.gov/hrc/ .